Last evening I anxiously watched a live streaming of a much anticipated debate between "Bill Nye & Ken Ham". Yup, that's Dr. Bill Nye "The Science Guy", and Dr. Ken Ham, who is CEO / Founder of The Creation Museum. Incidentally, the debate was streamed live at www.debatelive.org. You can watch it there; at least for a few more days.
No "new" debate, per se. Yet, that in no way lessens the importance of the debate; our most basic, most fundamental, most sincere question as humans.... "Where did we come from?" The debate was publicized as creation vs. evolution. See, nothing new. It was, seemed to me, a worthy debate. I do recommend reading Dr. Albert Mohler's synopsis of the debate at http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/02/05/bill-nyes-reasonable-man-the-central-worldview-clash-of-the-ham-nye-debate/. Of course, in full disclosure, even Al Mohler's synopsis of the debate would be "debatable" ....depending upon which side of this fence you "choose" (I believe that is a key word) to stand ...based ON your present understanding. That is, by the way, the rudimentary making of one's "worldview", which, I contend, each of us has. This "world-view", or bias, aside (hopefully accepted), I believe Dr. Mohler's to be as un-blast a synopsis as a follower of Christ can manufacture. I, too, share the bias.
This world-view, or bias, is and will remain, the fundamental problem with these types of debates. Or so it appears to me. Whether Bill Nye sees his view as a world-view (it appeared he tries to disconnect himself from any such bias. I believe one cannot) or simply as a "reasonable" man (what / who defines even that) ....this is what will continue "this" particular debate, and I believe without resolution, until Christ returns. Oops.... my own bias just appeared. So, on to the un-packing.
My own simple, and admittedly un-satisfactory, synopsis of this human-old debate...
As a young / new believer in Christ I once finally asked a question (..one which I had asked internally for some time..).This question came aloud in an evangelism training course my local church had provided. The simple question.... "If a person [to whom I am "witnessing"] does not believe, or trust, the Bible we quote and reference ....where do we go from there?" In fact, I asked that question multiple times throughout my Christian childhood (twenty-something then). Most answers were the same. Even the same from a seminary professor of mine, in more recent years. "Well, you're done." ...was the basic answer. This answer was meant in practical, human intellectual argument, terms. Of course... we Christians pray. Frankly, this "end-of-the-persuasive-road" is what I believe we observed during the debate last night. Perhaps that is THE main point, from my world-view at least. In fact, I am convinced it is the main point. That is..... I do NOT believe we are "done", even from a humanistic standpoint. I have long agreed with the Apostle Paul's genuine, honest, humble, and bold statement (as I believe Dr. Mohler quotes as well) that "we are without excuse" simply due to the natural "observations" around us. (read Romans chapter 1 in the bible).
And THAT, dear friends, will remain a matter of one's pre-decided perspective. If I were intellectual enough for Bill Nye to care... he would unload on me right now; surely providing me with supposedly evidential excuses as to why my belief is not tenable. Yet, as Dr. Ham, I have decided to remain un-moved from my Christian, my Biblical, world-view. I simply cannot find an honest "excuse" to find un-belief ....believable.
-Steve Terrell
